Jan Davies from Barry, in the Vale of Glamorgan, has been an RSVP volunteer knitter with us for several months now. Jan has written a poem about how her Nan inspired her to knit, and why she has continued to knit throughout her life.

The Knitting Circle of Life

I sat watching my Nan as she would knit

Click, Click, Clickety, click -yarn flick

Stitches making this one fit, project growing bit by bit

Knit, knit, knit a new stitch trick

Knitting whilst she talked

Knitting whilst she walked

Knitting as she watched the telly

Garments laid across her belly

 

I sat in front, at Nanny’s knee

“ is this one mine? Is this for me?”

Blue or yellow would be just fine

A cardi or top, just let it be mine

Then stand up straight and fetch the tape

Measure the sleeve, the chest, the nape

Not me this time, this one’s for Jill

Then one for me I’m hoping still

 

Time has passed, my Nan long gone

My grandchildren now sit all forlorn

As I pick up a stitch with a crochet hook

And they select a pattern out of a book

A jumper for Ellis a cushion for Sue

But what for the girls and the boys too?

Something for Carys and something for Mollie

‘Frozen’ for Carys and for Mollie a dolly

Seren, stand up straight as I measure your size

And I’ll start knitting a Christmas surprise

Now sit at my knee,

sit where you can see

Place the needles like this and the wool at your side

Make Teddy a scarf It’ll become your pride

Then sit your littlies around when you are grown

And see what knitting seeds we have sown

Thanks Nanny Thomas for all of your grafting

The future’s full circle the future is crafting